Vacuum truck systems are known in the prior art. Such systems have been used to collect various types of materials. These materials may include liquids, solids or mixtures of both.
Conventional vacuum truck systems include a material collection container permanently mounted to a truck chassis. Also mounted to the truck chassis is a vacuum source. The vacuum source is used to draw air through the container. The container is connected to a hose which is placed in close proximity to the material to be collected. The vacuum produced causes air as well as the material being collected to be drawn into the container.
The material that is collected in the container of a vacuum truck system must be periodically removed. To accomplish this such containers conventionally contain cleanout doors which can be opened. Once the material collected has been removed through the cleanout door, the door can be closed and the vacuum truck system placed back in service.
There is often considerable cost associated with the operation of conventional vacuum truck systems. This is because the material collected often needs to be taken to a remote site from where it is collected for treatment or disposal. It is not uncommon for vacuum trucks to travel long distances to discharge collected material. Such travel time represents unproductive time for the system and increases removal costs. Vacuum trucks loaded with collected material are heavy, and travel long distances may result in substantial wear on tires and other vehicle components.
Conventional vacuum trucks also often are required to collect various types of materials. The materials that must be collected are often incompatible with other materials. Such incompatibility may result in undesirable chemical or incendiary reactions. As a result, care must be exercised to maintain such collected materials in separate containers. When situations of this type arise, multiple vacuum trucks are commonly used. Alternatively, a single vacuum truck may be used if the container which holds the material is thoroughly cleaned before an incompatible material is collected. Either approach is costly.
It is also common to encounter situations where the material collected is not a waste material, but instead must be recycled or placed back in service. When this occurs it is very important to provide a container that is not contaminated with other materials. Further, the material from which the holding container is made must be compatible with the material being collected. Such situations may require that a vacuum truck be custom made for the particular type of operation to be performed.
Thus, there exists a need for a vacuum truck system with a container which may have its contents discharged while the container is mounted on the truck, or which may be removed from the truck and replaced with a different container.